Find Your Shipmates

U.S.S. VIRGINIA

The USS VIRGINIA (CGN-38), the first of the nuclear powered Virginia class cruisers, was commissioned on 11 SEP 1976. USS VIRGINIA was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia. After extensive shake down sailing, VIRGINA underwent a extended yard period from April to September 1977. VIRGINA first crossed the Atlantic in August 1978 during a three month "North Atlantic". Over the following sixteen years, VIRGINIA deployed regularly to the "MED", Caribbean, and on into the Indian Ocean as the US Navy established a standing naval force in the Persian Gulf after the Hostage Crisis in Iran. USS VIRGINIA served her country for 18 years, 1 month and 30 days, until decommissioned on 10 NOV 1994. VIRGINIA was disposed of, along with her sister nuclear powered cold warriors, by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in 2002.

The USS VIRGINIA (CGN-38) deployment history and significant events of her service career follow:

USS VIRGINIA (CGN-38)

The
fifth Virginia (CGN-38) was laid down on 19 August 1972 by the
Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. as a nuclear-powered, guided-missile frigate, DLGN-38;
launched on 14 December 1974; sponsored by Miss Virginia S. Warner, daughter of the Honorable John Warner,
former Secretary of the Navy; reclassified a nuclear-powered, guided-missile cruiser and redesignated CGN-38
on 30 June 1975; and commissioned on 11 September 1976, Capt. George W. Davis, Jr., in command.

During
the first six months of her commissioned service, Virginia ranged the eastern seaboard of
the United States
and cruised in the West Indies several times conducting a myriad of post-commissioning tests and
shakedown
training. On 25 April 1977, she entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a five-month, post-shakedown availability.
She completed her final sea trials on 28 September and began duty as an operational unit of the Atlantic
Fleet. In November, she cruised along the New England and Canadian coasts, participating in antisubmarine
warfare exercises. In December, she returned to the West Indies for missile
firings on
the Atlantic Fleet weapons range. She completed that mission on 13 December and reentered Norfolk
three days later to begin holiday leave and upkeep in her home port. The
beginning of 1978 found her still in Norfolk; but, by mid-month, she returned to sea in the Virginia capes
operating area for a series of local operations. On 28 January, however, she
departed Norfolk
to return to the area along the Florida coast and in the West Indies for a
series of special tests conducted under the auspices of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. The
guided-missile cruiser returned to Norfolk on 23 March and resumed local operations.

That
employment lasted until 23 August when she embarked upon a cruise to northern Europe to
participate in Operation "Northern Wedding," a NATO exercise the purpose of which
was to test the ability to reinforce NATO forces in western Europe. During that deployment, she visited
Oslo in Norway, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Portsmouth in England. The
warship
departed the latter port on 3 October and reentered Norfolk on the 12th. On 16 November, she put to sea for training
exercises in the Gulf of Mexico. During that voyage, she made a port visit at Mobile, Ala., and conducted naval
gunfire support training at Vieques Island near Puerto Rico. She made another port visit to the island
of St. Thomas on 6 and 7 December before heading home. Virginia reentered Norfolk on 11 December and
began preparations for her first deployment to the Mediterranean which was scheduled to commence in early 1979.

[Note: The above USS VIRGINIA (CGN-38) history may, or may not, contain text provided by crew members of the USS VIRGINIA (CGN-38), or by other non-crew members, and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]

U.S.S. VIRGINIA (CGN-38) at HullNumber.com

HullNumber.com's mission is to provide a means for shipmates to keep in touch with one another.

Registration and communicating with shipmates at Hullnumber.com is FREE FOREVER.

We ask that you enter only enough information about yourself that your shipmates can recall you... Your ORIGINAL HOMETOWN and State are asked for because that confirms who you are in your shipmate's memories.